Paint mixing apparatus



Jan. 21, 1964 A. A. DEDOES 3,118,653

PAINT MIXING APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l o .9 2o 2o i k INVENTOR ARNOLD A. DEDOES BY at. 22.1%

ATTORNEY Jan. 21, 1964 EQ H 3,118,653

PAINT MIXING APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L 30 J i; 35 36 A MAZ V 1 Hg 13 b YNVENTOR ARNOLD A. DEDOES ATTORNEY 3,118,653 PAW! IVHXENG APPARATUS Arnold A. Dedoes, A370 W. 11 Mile Road, Berkley, Mich. Filed Mar. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 801,812 4 Claims. (Cl. 259-66) This invention relates to fluid mixing machines of the shelf or cabinet type and more particularly to improvements in the assembly of such machines wherein the stirring, mixing, and blending of fluids such as paint, lacquers, varnishes, and the like is carried out in the original and dilferent sizes of containers preparatory to their use for any purpose. Machines of this type are particularly desirable where it is necessary to simultaneously stir or condition the diiferent fluids so as to obtain the desired consistency prior to the subsequent mixing or blending operation.

The construction of such machines heretofore employed have been expensive to manufacture and cumbersome in manipulation to handle the several clilferent sizes of containers or receptacles in the machine for simultaneously mixing the contents thereof. One of the chief difiiculties that has been experienced is conveniently placing and securing the different sizes of removable containers in the cabinet and positioning them relative to the driving mechanism for operating the stirrer agitator positioned in each container.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a simplified form of sheet metal cabinet which shall be a more eflicient mechanism for independently holding each container so that it may be conveniently and expediently handled during the mixing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of yieldnble base clamp mechanism for holding the individual sizes of containers or receptacles in a fixed position in the machine and at the same time facilitate their independent and ready removal at any time without stopping the power mechanism.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a novel sheet metal cabinet type machine with a foldable shelf support for holding smaller sizes of containers relative to the respective agitator or stirrer drives.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character designated which shall be simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, ad more eiiicient in operation than similar devices heretofore proposed.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following specification and drawings and more particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the cabinet and power drive mec .anism;

FIGURE 2 is a front view in elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end section view on line 3-43, FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing an individual spring clip and the manner of mounting it in the base support;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of the base array of the can holding clips;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the sheet metal cabinet assembly; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bracket support assembly.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIGURES l and 2 a cabinet type paint mixing machine embodying the present invention wherein the numerals lit, 11, 12 and 13 indicate top, rear, end, and bottom walls respectively of the cabinet. These walls are all preferably made 3,ll8,53 Patented Jan. 21, l4

of formed rectangular-shaped sheet metal stampings hav ing flanged edge portions and assembled and secured together in any suitable manner as by bolts or spot welding indicated by the numeral 1-3 to provide a rigid and durable structure. The bottom wall 13 forms the base support for a plurality of large or gallon size cans containing fluid to be stirred. A plurality of supplemental foldable sheet metal bracket supports 14l4 are hingedly attached to the rear wall 11 of the cabinet for the purpose of accommodating smaller sizes or receptacles such as quart can containers so that they may be positioned and connected equally with respect to the freely swingable drive connection couplings 2222 mounted in suitable bearings l515 located in the top cabinet wall 10 as hereinafter more fully described. The arrangement is such that contents of the individual quart or gallon containers may be simultaneously stirred prior to mixing or blending as desired. The different sizes of containers are indicated in dotted lines by the numerms l7 and 13 respectively.

Mounted in the top wall 10 of the cabinet is the driving mechanism for the several agitator or stirrer blades carried by a special cover 19 associated with each container and indicated by dotted lines. The drive mechanism consists of a plurality of V-shaped belt pulleys 20'- 20 connected to vertical shafts 212l mounted in suitable shaft bearings 15-f.5 mounted in alignment in the top wall 10. The lower end of each power shaft 211 is provided with the swingable pivoted coupling member 22 for readily separable and detachable connection with a cooperating stirrer coupling member 23. This coupling member 23 is connected to a can stirrer element 24 by a shaft 25 shown in dotted lines. All of the pulleys 2il2l3 are driven simultaneously by a V belt 26 in contact therewith and which in turn is driven by a reduction gear belt connection indicated by pulleys 7, 28, 2 9, and motor 43. The belt is held under the desired pressure on the pulleys by suitable spring tension devices indicated by the numerals 23'Z3. The motor 4-3 is motmted in a sheet metal compartment housing 31 mounted on the end wall 12 of the cabinet and forms an integral unit therewith. The drive pulleys and motor are safely protected by a removable sheet metal cover plate 32 which encloses all the drive mechanism and maintains the same free of dust, dirt, and fluid contamination occasioned by the normal operation and usage of such machines. The motor is controlled by a switch 43" conveniently mounted on the cabinet walls.

One of the important features of the present apparatus is the arrangement for clamping and holding the several different sizes of containers in place in the cabinet for any one of the individual drive connections. The holding device for the cylindrical containers includes a novel loop-shaped upstanding spring metal clip member 39, FIGURE 4, projecting upwardly through a slot 34 formed in the bottom wall 13. The clip is retained in place by oppositely disposed flanges 35 and 36 and the bulged central portion 37 of the spring loop. These clip members are located in a circular formation arranged to yieldably grip the bottom flanged portion of a can container when placed between the array of such opposin clips as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. The same type yieldable clip array is employed for holding any circular container and only the diametrical distance between the clips would necessarily be changed.

The bracket supports 14 for holding and positioning the smaller size quart cans for example, comprises essentially a sheet metal angle iron base portion 38 and right angle depending side portions 3ll38'. The base portion '58 is also provided with an array of circularly placed spring clip members 3d of the type previously described and arranged to grip and securely hold a quart can placed thereon. It will be noted that the rear edge of the base portion is hingedly connected to the rear cabinet Wall 11 by a tlat metal hinge 39 spaced above the bottom wall 393 and preferably extends all the way across plate 14 for rigidly holding the support in place and permit its removal to an out-cf-the-Way position when the space is to be occupied by a larger can. It Will also be noted that the rear wall 11 is provided with an array of spaced slots dl 49 which provide means for receiving the projecting clips 3 of an array and yieldably hold the support 3.4 close against the rear wall 11 and out of the way in this retracted position as to acommodate a gallon in the same alloted space in the cabinet as shown in FIGURE 6. The rear Wall 11 is in the form of a panel having its top edge 41 spaced from the top wall it and its bottom edge 42 spaced vfrom the bottom Wall 13 With its ends being welded or bolted to the end metal frame Walls 12 12.

As shown in FEGURE 6, the bracket support 14 for the smaller cans is in operative position to receive a small size can and the side flange edges 383 3 engaging the rear Wall 11 provide a rigid support for holding the can in vertical position relative to the stirrer coupling. The array of clip members 3tl3tl circumferentially grip the can base and prevent it from rotating during the stirring operation as well as position it horizontally on the support.

As heretofore'pointed out, when it is desired to occupy the quart size space in the cabinet with a gallon can, the support 14 is folded back against the rear Wall 11 and the same can holding and gripping springs Till-3t enter the corresponding slots 49 in the rear Wall and positively hold the support 14 out of the way and with a minimum space depth in the cabinet. The arrangement of the clips 3ll3ll in the base support for the quart or gallon size cans is such that the cans are slid into position and the rear clip in the array forms a stop to inform the operator that the can is in position to be in engagement with its corresponding stirrer coupling members and no further attention is necessary. 7

Another important feature of the novel cabinet construction is that all the parts are made of sheet metal construction of the same metal gauge and readily assembled with a minimum amount of labor cost. The feature of providing an open space between the rear wall longitudinal edges 41 and 42 and the top and bottom walls of the cabinet facilitate cleaning as well as enable the operator to handle the can in and out of the cabinet With a minimum of effort or interference.

Having thus described a preferred form of mixing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, it is obvious that various changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What =1 claim is:

loin a power operated fluid mixing machine cabinet having a support surface member for receiving fiuid receptacles, a stirrer mechanisrnfor each receptacle including a power coupling connected to an overhead power mechanism, and means for positioning each receptacle in said cabinet relative to said power stirrer coupling eluding a plurality of vertically disposed spring clip men bers yieldably mounted in circumferential relation on the support surface to yieldably engage and frictionally g p the bottom peripheral flange portion of each receptacle and position the same relative to said power coupling, an elevated supplemental horizontally disposed shelf support hingedly connected to the rear wall, an array of spring clip members mounted on the shelf support to grip and position a small size can relative to e power coupling, and an array of openings formed in the rear Wall corresponding in position to the clips mounted the supplemental support for receiving and gripping the same to hold the supplemental support in retracted position.

2. A mixing machine for mixing materials in comrnercial containers or" diiferent sizes and heights including an open front sheet metal cabinet having a support fioor, a closed top Wall compartment unit, end Walls, and a rear wall all connected to form a rigid rectangular cabinet-like structure, a plurality of aligned mixer coupling elements mounted in the top compartment Wall, a detachable stirrer connected to each coupling element, a plurality of container receiving stations located in the cabinet and in axial alignment with the respective coupling elements, the stations on the cabinet floor adapted to receive large size containers, foldable support means hingedly connected to the rear wall for providing a receiving station for smaller size containers, the receiving station on each support including at least three container positioning elements, one of said elements being a vertically disposed sheet metal spring clip member to yieldably engage and fr-ictionally grip the container bottom flange edge portion engaged thereby, means for yieldably mounting the spring clip member on the support, slotted openings in the rear cabinet wall commensurate in position with the spring clip members located in the foldable support station, and means for folding the support to cause the spring clip members to frictionally engage with the Wall slotted openings so as to retain the support in inoperative position against the rear wall and clear the floor station for receiving a large container.

3. A mixing machine for mixing materials in commerical containers of difierent sizes and heights including an open front sheet metal cabinet having a support floor, a closed top wall compartment unit, end walls, a bottom support wall and. a rear Wall all connected to form a rigid rectangular cabinet-like structure, a plurality of aligned mixer coupling elements mounted in the top compartment Wall, a detachable stirrer connected to each coupling element, a plurality of container receiving st ti-ons located on the cabinet bottom Wall and in axial alignment with the respective coupling elements, the stations on the cabinet floor adapted to receive paint containers, each receiving station including at least three container positioning elements arranged to circumferentially engage a paint container, slotted openings formed in the support Wall to receive and retain each of said elements, and each of said elements consisting of a vertically disposed loop-shaped sheet metal spring clip member associated with one slot, said loop-shaped member having one leg extending through its associated slot openly extending end portion Winch holds the leg in the slot {or movement relative to the slot edges for mounting the retainer spring leg in said slot and to yieldably engage the container bottom flange in contact therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTU 1,669,671 Stone-rt 80. 7, 1926 2,l5(),784 R ehm Mar. 14-, 1939' 2,428,492 Haller 1947 2,521,384 Marie-ritual Sept. 5,1950 2,802,649 Stockton "Aug. 13, 1957 2,864,678 Fink Dec. 16, 1958 2,965,363 Worden .c Dec. 20, 196i) 

1. IN A POWER OPERATED FLUID MIXING MACHINE CABINET HAVING A SUPPORT SURFACE MEMBER FOR RECEIVING FLUID RECEPTACLES, A STIRRER MECHANISM FOR EACH RECEPTACLE INCLUDING A POWER COUPLING CONNECTED TO AN OVERHEAD POWER MECHANISM, AND MEANS FOR POSITIONING EACH RECEPTACLE IN SAID CABINET RELATIVE TO SAID POWER STIRRER COUPLING INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED SPRING CLIP MEMBERS YIELDABLY MOUNTED IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL RELATION ON THE SUPPORT SURFACE TO YIELDABLY ENGAGE AND FRICTIONALLY GRIP THE BOTTOM PERIPHERAL FLANGE PORTION OF EACH RECEPTACLE AND POSITION THE SAME RELATIVE TO SAID POWER COUPLING, AN ELEVATED SUPPLEMENTAL HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SHELF SUPPORT HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE REAR WALL, AN ARRAY OF SPRING CLIP MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE SHELF SUPPORT TO GRIP AND POSITION A SMALL SIZE CAN RELATIVE TO THE POWER COUPLING, AND AN ARRAY OF OPENINGS FORMED IN THE REAR WALL CORRESPONDING IN POSITION TO THE CLIPS MOUNTED IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT FOR RECEIVING AND GRIPPING THE SAME TO HOLD THE SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT IN RETRACTED POSITION. 